Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas wish lists, anyone?

(Gotta love the post scheduling option... hopefully I'm busy unpacking and will have internet in the new house soon)

When I was really young, as in just past believing in Santa but still "little" young, my parents used to have my brother and I make a Christmas wish list. We were often given the toy ads and allowed to cut and paste the things we liked onto a piece of construction paper. My mom has a favorite story that she's told at least three times this year already: One year, while my brother covered the front and back of his paper with pictures and written items, telling her he ran out of room but he could give her more ideas, I handed her a paper that had a simple sentence: "If it's not too much, a sleeping bag would be nice."

That, my bloggy friends, is the epitome of my inability to make wish lists for myself. 

What would you want Santa to bring to you this year?

Here are a couple of things I think everyone should ask for, and my reasons why....

SWEATERS! Nice, comfy, warm sweaters. Unless you live somewhere that stays above 65 degrees all year, theres going to be a day or two when you want a sweater. And when you put on a sweater that was a gift, you think about the person that gave it to you... it's like wearing a hug, and being warmed by gratitude (at least for me it is).

TOYS! Ok, so adults have a different version of toys than kids. For men, it's often tools-- I bought my brother a wrench set 3 years ago, and he still loves them. Women have a lot of toys, too-- some women would love a new stand mixer, some would prefer scrapbooking supplies, and then there's us quilters, who like things like nice pinking shears, Go dies, even fabric assortments.... if my stocking were stuffed with fat quarters, I just might cry!

INDULGENCES! Whether it be nail polish to paint your own nails, or a gift certificate to get a pedicure,  nice cocoa with which to bake or a box of delicious chocolate truffles, sometimes small pleasures can bring great joy. I'll be making hand-beaten fudge (the REAL kind, not that marshmallow crap) for several people on my list this year.

HAND-MADE GOODNESS! Either food (I've been spoiled by my grandparents with beef log and peanut butter fudge every holiday, and I always make rolled sugar cookies, molasses, and Aunt Sally's cocoa drops with my mom), or a hand-made gift (ahem, quilt). My husband, brother, and MIL will all be receiving quilts this year, several family members are getting mug rugs, Mom is getting some fleece goodies, and a friend is getting her fleece-lined fleece mittens to lose by New Year's (Love ya, Jen!) My family knows the value of time spent making a present. It does to them what sweaters do for me. I don't often receive hand-made presents (probably because they all assume I'll make my own), but when I do, they mean so much more than a store bought item because I know how much more thought and effort are put into it.
And by the way, I think food is a perfectly appropriate gift as long as it's something the recipient eats. I wouldn't give a vegan a beef log, but last year my mom gave me some fancy sea salt to cook with, and I LOVE IT. It's something I wouldn't splurge on, so getting it as a gift means I've been cooking with sea salt all year and loving it.

And, last but not least, ESSENTIALS! Come on, everyone I know used to get new underwear and socks at Christmas... why not? They both serve a vital purpose, and you always need them, and if the people who buy them know you well enough they'll know the one store whose underwear fits your bottom best. In a strange way, basic, utilitarian socks and undies say "love" so much more than lingerie-- honestly, who's comfy in that stuff anyway?

So there you have it. This is my idea of Christmas.

In the long run, it's not about how much you spend, but with whom you spend Christmas. This year, I am grateful to have my husband home, so no matter what I find under the tree or in the stocking I made, it will be better than last because I'll have woken up to his sleepy face next to mine.

3 comments:

  1. Aaahhhh...sweet sentiments Kasey!! Sounds like a good list to me!!

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  2. This is the perfect list. I remember a few years back on Christmas morning, my daughter opened up one of her gifts, and then laughed, "I am 36 years old and my mother is still buying my underware." I will probably buy her some more underware this year! BettyLou

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  3. Love your list! Joe is getting me a Kindle for XMAS, so I am excited about that!
    Micki

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